Aged Scales

by XineLegacy

To Save Her

"Spike, what did that letter say?" asked Celestia.

"I'll explain in a few minutes," he replied, focusing on his headache as if it would make it go away. "Princess, how long do you think Twilight has before she...?"

"Perhaps an hour. Maybe less."

"Okay," he breathed. "I have time. Did any of you happen to pick up my bag from Fluttershy's cottage?"

"Spike," started Rainbow. "I think we were a bit too caught up with-"

"Actually," interrupted Rarity. "I did pick it up when we briefly stopped there to see if there was anything in the house that could help any of you. It's over there in the corner." Spike turned to look at the corner and, sure enough, there was a small brown backpack sitting there. He rushed over to open it and began to rummage through its contents.

"Here it is!" he exclaimed, holding up a thick green book. He placed the it on the bedside table and opened it to the first page. "Alright let's see-ack!" The pain in his head began to increase.

"Spike, what's wrong?" asked Celestia, hoof extended.

"I-arg-nothing. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a spell to cure headaches, would you?"

"Well, I do, but why does your head ache? Is there something wrong?"

"I don't know but I can't read like this."

"I can help, just stand still." The tip of Celestia's horn began to glow white, and the energy began to extend towards the small dragon in beams of light. The ponies watched as the luminous rays enveloped his head and then his neck and eventually his shoulders. Spike shivered as he felt strands of energy race down his spine, but all the while its touch felt soothing. He exhaled heavily just as the magic dispersed...and clutched his head once again in pain.

"It didn't work," he managed, his pain apparent in his voice.

"But-I'm sure I performed it right! Why wouldn't it work?"

"Because such a headache is not ordinary." Everyone turned to see Princess Luna in the doorway, now entering the room. All the ponies bowed briefly, and Celestia gave a slight nod.

"Princess Luna! You're here!" exclaimed Spike. "Wait, what about my headache is-ack-not ordinary?"

"I'm quite sure the headache which you are experiencing is caused by magic exhaustion. We studied these, have you forgotten already Spike? You must have been spellbreathing excessively for this to happen. Just what have you been doing for the past day?"

"I uh, ummm...Listen, could we talk about that, uh, later? And I'm guessing I can't spellbreathe either."

"No you most definitely cannot."

"Is there any way to cure the headache? Or at least restore some of my magic?"

"Well, during our time studying together, I did find a spell, but the effect of it is only temporary. It's called the Spell of Double Extent. Naturally, your magic reserves will take two nights of sleep to restore themselves, with the painful migraine receding after the first night. This spell will extend the total natural recovery process by two nights, but will also cure the headache and partially restore some of your magic. Its effects last two hours."

"Can you...cast that now?

"I'm afraid I can't. Only a dragon can cast it. It is spellbreathing." She paused. "However, if you could simply produce a spark of magic, then I might be able to control it using my own magic and cast it on you. Can you handle that?"

"I think so. Just give me the spell category and focus areas."

"The spell category is enhancement and the focus areas are frontal lobe and gas vesicle."

"Alright. You can do this Spike." he said to himself. He closed his eyes and concentrated to find any puff of magical energy still present within him. He inhaled a few times, and then prepared himself to exhale. Come on, just a little bit... Pah! A puff of smoke escaped his lips. "Dammit." he cursed under his breath.

"Try again, Spike," said Rarity with a reassuring smile. She had no idea what was going on, the same applied to everyone else in the room besides Spike and Luna. But the least she could do was to encourage him, she figured.

"Okay. Again." He repeated the process slowly, summoning energy from whatever parts of his body still had any in them. He reminded himself of Twilight. He needed to save her. Everypony in the room watched anxiously as Spike blew out a small wisp of brown flame. Luna quickly diverted her attention to the puff of fire, and focused on amplifying it. The ponies watched as the flame zipped around the room under Luna's control and flew into Spike's nostrils. He inhaled it deeply before opening his eyes, and feeling a wave of energy wash over him. His headache had disappeared.

"It worked!"

"Now, Spike, I must ask why you sent for me in such an urgent manner." She looked at Twilight. "If this is about Twilight, I'm sorry, but I don't think there is anything I can do to help her."

"I'll explain," he said, already diverting his attention back to the book.

"Dragon Charms and Spellbreathing," Pinkie read the cover aloud. "A reference and, uh, disam-disabooga-disambigyoo-whaa?"

"Disambiguation," finished Spike. "Now let's see..." he opened the book once again to its first page and began running his claw down a list of contents. "You see guys, the reason I left Ponyville in the first place was because Princess Luna needed me for a sort of investigation. She said that she had discovered an old set of books hidden in one of the palace's old chambers. The books were about dragons and dragon magic, subjects of which very little is known to ponies. We spent the month studying dragons, dragon anatomy, species of dragon, all kinds of things that were entirely new to us. I even managed to learn how to spellbreathe, and I practiced a few spells."

"That is all true Spike, but why have you brought this book to Ponyville?" asked Luna.

"I brought home the special one, Princess."

"To train with Twilight?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, why is this book special? I mean, specialer than the other dragon books?" asked Rainbow, feeling like she had missed something.

"Because, Rainbow, this was the only one of the entire set written by a pony. Incanta Sitherhoof."

"So...?"

"So, Incanta didn't just document dragon magic; she also experimented with dragon spells and potions. She even found that some spells could be partially translated into unicorn magic," he replied, still trying to find a certain entry in the contents. "Aha!" he declared, flipping through the pages to reveal one particular entry near the end of the book. Everypony in the room (who was not on a hospital bed) gathered around to see what Spike had found. The title of the page read Healing Spells and Unicorn Magic. "Dragons have the ability to perform a variety of healing spells, yada-yada-yada...blue flames...here! The Corpomagus Healing Spell- This spell is used commonly by the reptilian beasts of the volcanoes. It has the ability to heal physically inflicted injuries to the gas and magus vesicles. I have found this particular spell to be very remarkable, as the structure of the magical chamber present in a unicorn's cerebrum is similar to that of the magus vesicle, it could also be used to heal unicorn injuries of the same category, provided another powerful unicorn is present to reform the magic to be administrable on a pony. In theory, this could be accomplished by altering the part of the spell which is translatable into unicorn magic, which I have given below." Below the words Spike had read, the ponies could see a number of symbols which were foreign to all of them but Celestia and Luna.

"You are going to ask me to assist you in casting this spell to save Twilight," said Luna, stating what she had just realised. "It's still quite dangerous, Spike. You could seriously injure yourself-again-seeing as your magic reserves are only partially restored and that this a high energy spell." Spike turned his head around to look at Luna, looking her straight in the eye.

"I would give my life to save Twilight Sparkle, if need be." He spoke firmly and without a single sign of doubt apparent on his body or present within his mind.

The Princess took a step back. "Very well then. If that is what you wish."

Fluttershy watched quietly. He was about to do it again. Exactly what he did last time. And I might lose him again. "Spike, don't!" she cried suddenly, lunging towards him, a few tears once again finding their way down her cheeks. "We-we already lost you once Spike, it was unbearable! I couldn't stand to lose you again!" She threw her forelegs around his neck, much to Spike's surprise. "Please don't do this."

A few moments of silence passed before the drake spoke. "I-I kinda have to, Fluttershy. It's the only chance we have right now to save Twilight. We all really want to save Twilight, right?"

"I guess so..." She let go of him and placed him on the ground, her eyes clenched together in pain. "Bu-but to lose you again..."

Rarity found herself instinctively embracing Spike as well, followed once again by Fluttershy and then the rest of the ponies. They all hugged each other warmly for perhaps half a minute, with Spike finding comfort and reassurance in his friends' hooves. Before long they all let go, one by one.

Rainbow placed a hoof on the dragon's shoulder. "Good luck, Spike."

"Yeah, good luck!" exclaimed Pinkie, feeling a slight bit of happiness return to her after so long. "We know you can do it!"

"Thanks, guys, you're the best friends a dragon could ask for." Spike shut his eyes and began to concentrate. "And I'll try my best to not kill myself."

Comments

[OmniFox]

#GoodLuckSpike.

[APoeticHeart]

Spike good luck my friend, and, remember this is for Twilight. Also, it is good to see the others worry about Spike, especially Fluttershy and Rarity, which I know they would have.

[SeventhBrony]

the sob that first of cliffhangers should be shot repeatedly because the cliffhanger here is just someone being mean so we are forced once again to wait on the next chapter

[Cold Spike]

Okay that was one way to end a chapter, best and creepiest line ever.

[KARLOS1234IFY]

3252630 likewise.

3252900 Cliffhangers need to be shot.

[DanvilleBengal]

This is like the third story I have read that shows Spike, Fluttershy, and Rarity shipping happening to each other at the same time....is this becoming a trend??

It's about time for a new threeway ship--ShySparity!!! If this turns ouf to be something, just in advance, I have trademarked that ship.

EDIT (added 9/24, 9:38 PM): Godspeed, Spike. A life is precariously in the balance. Godspeed, you glorious draconic noble bastard!!!

[Ignaltus]

[XineLegacy]

3253153 Assumptions, assumptions. Tsk tsk tsk.

[John The Dragon]

ITS... Flsparity!!

[Smurf]

Spike comes to save the day!
personally i'm still hoping for TwiSpike but i will settle for Spike/Harem

[Aura Zero]

MORE!!!!!

[Aura Zero]

I would give my life to save Twilight Sparkle, if need be." He spoke firmly and without a single sign of doubt apparent on his body or present within his mind.

Every time I read this part I get chills. Save her Spike. I know you can...even though I read this far already.